John Barrow of leading firm Populous says air conditioning is too expensive and “notoriously unsustainable” when used on a large scale.

Air-conditioned stadiums to beat 50-degree (122 Fahrenheit) desert heat in June were a defining theme of Qatar’s winning bid last year.

Barrow, however, says the planned Sports City stadium can be kept cool by shading seats and traditional Arabic methods for ventilation.

Populous proposes using wind towers to create fan-like air movement inside the 47,000-capacity stadium.

Barrow says spectators could be kept comfortable at 30 degrees (86 Fahrenheit) during evening matches.